Synesthesia

Kiss the Girl

Caleb

I had really wanted to kiss her, there, while she was crying in my arms.

I wanted to assure her that I was going to be here forever, always going to be a shoulder for her to cry on. Of course, she wouldn't have believed me.

She didn't truly trust me, no matter what.

So I didn't kiss her. Because I was afraid of rejection, and I was afraid she'd hate it, and hate me for doing it. So I didn't.

But I came oh so close to. I could almost imagine it, my lips brushing against her's, my hand cupping her cheek, the very cheek where her Aunt Patricia had hurt her all those times. I could almost taste the peppermint of her breath; it was like reaching for something in the dark, and finding out that its not there.

I think I loved her.

I've never been in love before, but I think this is how they describe it.

Unstoppable thoughts about her, imagining us together, unquenchable worrying about her, yup, that was me.

I wanted to protect her against her aunt, I wanted to be the one to stop all this mess and save her.

Then maybe she wouldn't hate me for kissing her. Then maybe she might trust me.

~

I was walking down to the lake to go swim with Sam.

Sam's probably my best friend. He's kind of an idiot, but I mean that in the kindest way. He always wants to do the stupidest stuff, I always do it with him, of course, but most of the time, I'm like his parent.

We were taking the shortcut, squeezing through the tiny hole in the fence, cutting through my neighbor's lawn, (who happened to have a particular hatred for teenage boys, which had gotten us into a few tight spots, but that's besides the point.) and then walking through Woodside Park. The lake was behind the park, and it didn't really have a name, it was referred to as 'The Lake' by most everyone who lived around the area.

We were walking, and Sam was teasing me about having a girl at my house.

“Caleb, why the heck are you messing around with a girl? I thought you better than that,” he says sarcastically, knowing perfectly well that I like her, and is hinting that I make a move sometime soon.

I blush, about to respond, when I find myself hearing giggling behind us.

“Hey, Caleb!” Ana calls. I whirl around to see her in her sundress, holding little Bonnie's hand as she guides Bonnie over to us.

“Where were you going?” she asks in an inquisitive tone. I smile at her.

“The lake,” I reply. Sam smirks and steps into the conversation.

“Yeah, Caleb figured the lake'd be a fabulous place to catch some babes like yourself.” Ana laughs.

“Bonnie had just asked me to take her to the lake,” Ana says, looking a little embarrassed, “We can go another time if you guys want to be alone...” I shake my head.

“No, come,” I say, slowly reaching for her hand.

God, she looks so hot in that little blue sundress...

We start walking towards the lake.

Sam won't stop winking at me, and Ana hasn't stopped holding my hand.

We leave Sam to Bonnie. He starts swinging her in the air, Bonnie holding on to his hands while he tosses her up in the air, and catches her.

Ana looks incredibly stunning in her little blue sundress. Her hair is half up and half down in gorgeous waves that keep blowing in her face as the wind blows.